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Does a Tube Dac make sense?


I’m  in the market for a dac since I bought a Musical Paradise MP701MKII Tube Preamp few months back, does it make sense to buy a tube dac? The seller Garry is suggesting to get the Musical Paradise MP D2 MKIII which is a tube dac with a AK4490 but can be upgraded to AK4499 but I’m leaning towards the RME ADI2 which is almost the same price as the MP tube dac. I’m finding it hard to justify a $1k dac but I have read a lot of forums that suggests the RME or the SMSL M400 and Denafrips Ares II but I’m a sucker for vu meters and spectrum analyzers but if the MP tube dac is a good match for my MP tube preamp I’m willing to give it a go.
stibin
gkr7007's avatar
gkr7007
148 posts
 
I have the MP D2 MKIII and love it.  The stock tubes are kind of dull but get yourself some NOS signal tubes and a good rectifier and it really opens up.  Keep in mind you can run 5 and 6.3 volt rectifiers and 12 volt and 6 volt signal tubes.  You also have user replaceable capacitors (no soldering required).
I'm running the Mundorf siver / oil caps in single ended so I only need two, along with 2 Telefunken 6922 and a Philip's 5u4g rectifier and it's great.  If you can swing it get the Crystek clock option.  Garry is easy to work with.
invalid
1,161 posts
 
Also dacs with tube output don’t drive very well into the next equipment, be it passive pre active pre or direct to poweramp if it is lower than <20kohm input impedance.
As tube dacs usually have high output impedance and are capacitor coupled, which "could" also roll off the bass those low input impedances <20kohm.


I have to disagree with this, I'm getting a tube dac that can drive any preamp it's output impedence is 200ohm.
limomangus's avatar
limomangus
1,364 posts
 
I've hear them with tubes and without....what's the problem?
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stibin OP
12 posts
 
No problem here just want to know some experiences with dacs and tube dacs. To each its own I guess but certainly taken into account a lot of pros and cons but very helpful indeed. Will update if going the route of a tube dac or just a dac. Thanks again to all.
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